Released: May 7, 2002 -- REVISED

Revisions were made in table 2 to acres of grass guaranteed in 2002.

Bluestem pasture condit ion in the Flint Hills region is rated at 62 percent of normal, going into the 2002 grazing season. Dry conditions beginning in the fall of 2001 and continuing into early April lowered pasture conditions when compared to recent years. As of April 22, topsoil moisture conditions were rated short to adequate across the bluestem region. Sources of stock water being used are: ponds, 60 percent; streams, 27 percent; wells, 9 percent; and spring developments, 4 percent. Water supplies are rated short to very short, with only 46 percent reporting adequate supplies.

From the 1997 Census of Agriculture for Kansas, the acreage of pasture lands and rangelands total approximately 4.1 million acres in the Flint Hills region. The percentage of available pasture already contracted, as of mid-April, stood at 95 percent. Of the acres contracted, 60 percent are under full summer season contracts, 19 percent under partial-season contracts, and 21 percent leased for the full year. The average grazing season start date for full summer season contracts is April 25, ranging from an early date of April 17 in Chautauqua and Cowley counties to May 3 in Pottawatomie County. The average ending date for the grazing season is October 16. The average starting date for partial season or intensive grazing is April 23. The average number of grazing days for steers and heifers under 700 pounds is 88 days.

For 2002, partial season contracts have been broken into two categories: contracts with ninety grazing days or less and contracts with more than ninety grazing days. Table 6 includes all data for both categories to maintain historic comparisons of partial season contracts.

Partial season contracts with ninety grazing days or less reported an average per acre lease rate of $20.10 where care is provided and $18.20 where no care is provided. Steers and heifers under 700 pounds, price per head with care, averaged $52.70 with a guarantee of 2.5 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $45.40 with 2.5 acres guaranteed.

The average price per acre for partial season contracts of more than ninety days was $25.40 with care and $18.20 with no care provided. Steer and heifers under 700 pounds, price per head with care, averaged $61.00 with a guarantee of 3.1 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $53.00 with 3.4 acres guaranteed.

Twenty-five reports indicated using live pounds per acre for stocking rates. The average for full summer season stocking rate is 218 pounds. The average for partial summer season stocking rate is 235 pounds.

Twenty-nine reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain. Prices varied from 25 to 50 cents per pound of gain and averaged 33 cents.

The average price per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $118.60 with 8.1 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $16.00 for the full year.

In winter stocker grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $8.20 per head per month with 4.3 acres guaranteed. For winter cow grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $9.90 per head per month with 6.4 acres guaranteed.

Thirty-seven percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, down 26 percentage points from a year ago. The average burning date was April 13.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in full summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 76 percent; fence maintenance, 91 percent; guaranteed count, 39 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 27 percent.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in partial summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 86 percent; fence maintenance, 95 percent; guaranteed count, 46 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 26 percent.

Table 1-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & PERCENT LEASED, 1998-2002

Year	Average Lease Price per Head for Full Summer Season							Price for Pastures Rented on "Per Acre" Basis	Percent of Pastures Leased Mid-April
	Steers and Heifers				Cow/Calf Pairs
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	Average for Pairs
	- - - - - - - - - - Dollars - - - - - - - - - -								Percent
1998	59 .20	63 .60	61 .90	74 .60	110 .20	101 .40	104 .40	16 .90	98
1999	56 .00	58 .80	57 .90	63 .80	108 .10	100 .90	102 .90	16 .00	96
2000	60 .40	63 .70	62 .30	75 .50	115 .00	106 .50	108 .80	16 .30	97
2001	59 .00	65 .50	63 .00	75 .40	113 .60	104 .10	107 .00	16 .30	97
2002	62 .50	62 .80	62 .70	78 .30	109 .50	107 .80	108 .30	16 .90	95

Table 2-- BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 1998-2002

Year	Average Acres of Grass Guaranteed per Head for Full Summer Season							Pasture Condition Percent of Normal Mid-April	Prices Received by Farmers during February per 100 Pounds
	Steers and Heifers				Cow/Calf Pairs
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves 1/	Average for Pairs 1/
									Beef Cattle	Calves
	- - - - - - - - - - Acres - - - - - - - - - -							Percent	Dollars
1998	3 .8	3 .9	3 .9	4 .8	7 .6	6 .8	7 .3	96	61 .90	93 .00
1999	3 .7	3 .9	3 .8	4 .7	7 .5	7 .0	7 .2	94	63 .80	92 .00
2000	3 .6	3 .9	3 .8	4 .9	7 .6	7 .1	7 .2	93	70 .70	107 .00
2001	3 .8	4 .0	3 .9	5 .1	7 .8	7 .2	7 .7	87	78 .70	107 .00
2002*	3 .8	4 .1	4 .0	5 .1	7 .6	7 .4	7 .5	62	72 .60	107 .00

1/ 2001 data revised.

Table 3-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 1998-2002

Year	Average Lease Price per Head for Partial Season (Dollars)				Average Acres of Grass Guaranteed per Head
	Steers and Heifers				Steers and Heifers
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More
1998	51 .50	53 .80	52 .90	64 .00	2 .6	2 .9	2 .8	2 .7
1999	47 .10	48 .70	48 .10	60 .30	2 .4	2 .6	2 .6	2 .8
2000	50 .90	54 .40	53 .00	63 .90	2 .4	2 .7	2 .6	3 .0
2001	51 .40	53 .40	52 .60	58 .40	2 .6	2 .7	2 .7	3 .2
2002	50 .50	52 .90	52 .30	59 .60	2 .9	2 .8	2 .8	3 .6

Table 4-- FULL YEAR LEASING

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	120 .00	117 .80
Avg. Acres Guaranteed per Head	8 .4	7 .9
Price for Pastures Rented on 'Per Acre' Basis	16.00

Table 5-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2002, FULL SUMMER SEASON CONTRACTS

Type of Lease	Average Lease Price per Head for Full Summer Season (Dollars)							Price for Pastures Rented on "Per Acre" Basis
	Steers and Heifers				Cow/Calf Pairs
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	Average for Pairs
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	69 .70	66 .30	67 .60	83 .30	120 .80	109 .40	111 .90	18 .20
Without Service	66 .50	61 .10	62 .30	76 .50	109 .50	105 .40	106 .90	16 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate	68 .60	63 .50	65 .00	78 .20	111 .10	106 .40	107 .90	16 .50
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	64 .90	70 .90	68 .50	90 .00	122 .10	115 .90	118 .00	18 .50
Without Service	61 .90	60 .00	60 .80	73 .20	113 .70	113 .30	113 .40	17 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate	63 .40	65 .70	64 .80	78 .80	118 .10	114 .20	115 .20	17 .40
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	63 .40	65 .10	64 .50	84 .00	106 .20	114 .70	111 .30	18 .80
Without Service	54 .20	57 .30	56 .40	72 .20	102 .60	101 .60	101 .90	15 .80
Combined Average Lease Rate	58 .10	60 .40	59 .70	78 .10	104 .00	105 .40	104 .90	16 .30
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	65 .60	67 .60	66 .90	85 .50	114 .20	113 .40	113 .60	18 .40
Without Service	59 .30	58 .80	59 .00	74 .40	107 .40	105 .60	106 .10	16 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate	62 .50	62 .80	62 .70	78 .30	109 .50	107 .80	108 .30	16 .90

1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2.

Table 6-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2002, PARTIAL SUMMER SEASON CONTRACTS

Type of Lease	Average Lease Price per Head for Partial Season (Dollars)				Price for Pastures Rented on "Per Acre" Basis
	Steers and Heifers
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	2/	55 .00	55 .60	-	19 .70
Without Service	2/	45 .30	44 .60	2/	17 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate	2/	49 .30	49 .30	2/	17 .60
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	53 .80	58 .30	57 .30	60 .00	20 .60
Without Service	42 .80	47 .90	46 .80	53 .00	19 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate	48 .80	53 .20	52 .30	55 .30	19 .90
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	51 .50	56 .20	55 .40	64 .50	17 .60
Without Service	51 .30	48 .30	49 .40	59 .70	16 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate	51 .40	53 .40	52 .90	62 .10	16 .90
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	52 .70	56 .50	55 .80	63 .00	19 .20
Without Service	48 .70	47 .80	48 .00	57 .60	17 .80
Combined Average Lease Rate	50 .50	52 .90	52 .30	59 .60	18 .20

1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2. 2/ Insufficient reports to publish.

The rate charged for building a five-wire, all steel post fence, including materials, averaged $10.90 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $6.60 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $15.50 per hour without equipment, and $28.10 per hour with equipment.

Table 7-- RANGE OF BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2002 FULL SUMMER SEASON 1/

Type of Lease	Lease Price Range per Head for Season (Dollars)							Price for Pastures Rented on "Per Acre" Basis
	Steers and Heifers				Cow/Calf Pairs
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	Average for Pairs
NORTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	56-80	56-90	56-90	70-100	95-140	85-130	50-138	15-25
Without Service	60-72	30-80	30-80	64-90	70-140	48-130	48-140	12-22
Combined Average Lease Rate	56-80	30-90	30-90	64-100	70-140	48-130	48-140	12-25
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service	40-80	40-86	40-86	85-95	90-135	50-138	50-138	13-27
Without Service	45-80	30-85	30-85	50-95	75-140	75-140	75-140	14-25
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-80	30-86	30-86	50-95	75-140	50-140	50-140	13-27
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	42-85	50-90	42-90	70-100	55-135	50-150	50-150	14-28
Without Service	44-72	30-100	30-100	50-91	65-145	50-150	50-150	13-25
Combined Average Lease Rate	42-85	30-100	30-100	50-100	55-145	50-150	50-150	13-28
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	40-85	40-90	40-90	70-100	55-140	50-150	50-150	13-28
Without Service	44-80	30-100	30-100	50-95	65-145	48-150	48-150	12-25
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-85	30-100	30-100	50-100	55-145	48-150	48-150	12-28

1/ "Range" is defined as those values between which 80 percent of the reported lease rates fall.
2/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2.

Dona Ratliff, Research Analyst
Dan Kolterman, Agricultural Statistician
Eldon J. Thiessen, State Statistician
Eddie Wells, Deputy State Statistician

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